Senate Turns Rowdy Over Budget Padding Allegation

The floor of the Senate on Tuesday turned rowdy over a claim by Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District of Bauchi State, that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.

Osun Defender report that Ningi had during a BBC Hausa Service interview during the weekend said the N3trn unexplained fund was in the budget, adding that there were two versions of the budget.

At the resumed plenary of the Senate on Tuesday, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, moved a motion, calling for the investigation of the claim by Ningi.

Adeola’s motion was seconded by Senator Joel Onawakpo, after which senators engaged in a stormy debate while speaking on the matter.

Senator Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District, raised a point of order, asking the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to ensure a fair hearing by allowing the man at the centre of the controversy to state his side of the story.

But, in his response to the motion, Akpabio, said, “For me, I think this is a very straightforward matter. We have a situation to be the stabiliser of the National Assembly.”